Neighborhood children on Aberdeen Drive in Lambertville set up a lemonade stand this week with hand-lettered signs reading “Lemonade for Lainey,” raising more than $1,000 in online donations for the family of 13-year-old Lainey Scroggs, a Bedford Junior High School cheerleader who died last Wednesday following a medical emergency. The stand did not accept cash from passersby, instead directing donors to a QR code linking to a GoFundMe page for the Scroggs family.
Scroggs, who attended Bedford Junior High School and was expected to enter 8th grade this fall, died following a medical emergency, according to Bedford Public Schools, which described her as a cherished and vibrant community member and a beloved member of the cheer team. As reported by Hawaii News Now, the lemonade stand organized by Lambertville neighborhood children has become a small but meaningful outlet for a community searching for ways to help. The specific cause of her medical emergency has not been disclosed, and out of respect for the family, it remains private.
The GoFundMe campaign, titled “For Lainey and the Scroggs Family,” was launched last Thursday by family friend Tara Mulligan to cover funeral costs, time off work for her parents, and memorial funds, according to a GoFundMe listing for the effort. The campaign has since climbed to nearly $74,000 in donations, per the same account. Scroggs's mother, Sarah, works as an educator and caregiver at Monroe Road Elementary School, while her father, Billy, works in public safety — ties the fundraiser notes helped make the family widely known and supported across Bedford Township.
A Cheerleader Remembered Across the State Line
Scroggs, born June 12, 2013, was an active flyer and tumbler in both sideline and competitive cheerleading and was frequently coached by her mother during sideline seasons, according to a tribute page. Her family said nothing will bring Lainey back but that they find comfort in how deeply she was loved, thanking the community for its support. She is survived by her parents and her older sister, Kenna.
The loss resonated beyond Michigan's border. The Whitmer Cheerleaders in Toledo issued a statement offering condolences, noting that Sarah Scroggs previously served as a cheer coach for Whitmer High School and Washington Junior High. Lambertville and Temperance, where the family lives, are unincorporated communities within Bedford Township in Monroe County, Michigan, sitting directly along the state line roughly 10 miles north of Toledo, Ohio.
School District Mobilizes Crisis Counselors
Bedford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carl Shultz mobilized crisis response teams to provide counseling and mental health support at the Bedford Junior High School Media Center in the days immediately following Scroggs's death. The district has leaned on similar protocols before: it enacted district-wide grief support measures in January 2024 after the unexpected death of Bedford High School teacher Scott Earl, according to a Monroe Road Elementary community post.
High school athletic programs also rallied around the neighborhood effort. The Bedford High School Volleyball team made a formal visit to the Aberdeen Drive lemonade stand and promoted it online, helping extend its reach beyond the immediate block. Ava Nehrig, reflecting on the outpouring, said the community comes together when bad things happen, a sentiment echoed throughout the days of tributes and fundraising.
Funeral and Memorial Services Planned
Public visitation was scheduled for today at Urbanski's Bedford Funeral Chapel in Temperance, with a funeral service set for Monday at the same location. A community-wide memorial service is planned for Tuesday at Bedford Community Stadium, giving students, teammates and neighbors a chance to gather beyond the family's private services.
Following the funeral, Scroggs will be laid to rest at Whiteford Union Cemetery in neighboring Whiteford Township, with a community wake to follow at Forestview Lanes in Temperance. For a bedroom community tied closely to the Toledo metro area, the string of gatherings — from a lemonade stand on a residential street to a stadium memorial — reflects how quickly Bedford Township's schools, athletic teams and neighbors moved to support one family's sudden grief.
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